Washburn students, faculty recognized at scientific conference

Washburn made a big impression at a recent scientific
conference, bringing home three of its Top 10 student awards and the only one
presented to a faculty member.

In all, about 90 students from 10 universities displayed
posters and explained their research at the conference of the Kansas-IDeA
Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (K-INBRE) in Manhattan late last
month. Among the participants were nine Washburn students.

Three of them, Bonnie McKee, Matt Rush and Corey Suelter, received
awards of excellence for their research. McKee and Rush work with faculty
mentor Sam Leung, professor of chemistry. Suelter works with Andrew Herbig, assistant professor of
biology.

McKee, a junior from Abilene who is majoring in chemistry
and biology, worked full time for eight weeks during the summer studying
whether manipulating the structure of a porphyrin could advance treatment of
skin disorders, including skin cancer.

“The long-term goal is to create a better molecule to be
used in photodynamic therapy,” Mckee said. “I made an important piece of the
puzzle. That piece has a very important bond to something. That something is
the thing we can change.”

Rush, a senior chemistry major from Topeka, works on
oxophlorins, a family of compounds also related to treatment of skin
conditions.

“The currently used (drugs) are only effective on the very
surface of the skin,” Rush said. “If we can create a compound that is affected
deeper it will be more effective in treatment.”

Suelter, a senior biology major from Topeka, is studying a bacterium
called Bacillus subtilis and how it
transports magnesium throughout the body.

“We’re studying a cousin to a couple of really bad human
pathogens,” Suelter said. “We can work with the safe one while still learning
about the harmful ones.”

Washburn’s Janice Barton, professor emeritus of Chemistry,
received the Joan S. Hunt Distinguished Mentor award at the conference in
recognition of her work “fostering the intellectual, creative, scholarly and
professional grown of mentees,” sustained commitment to those mentees.

Rush and Suelter presented at the same conference last year.
McKee presented her work for the first time. All three said they were surprised
they received awards and said they plan to participate in future conferences,
including Washburn’s Apeiron.

“It’s unusual that undergraduates get to do so much
research,” Rush said. “We spend 100s of hours working in the field, doing
hands-on work to grow the body of knowledge in our field.”

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Washburn's mascot, the Ichabod, honors the school's early benefactor, Ichabod Washburn, a 19th century Massachusetts industrialist. The original design of the studious-looking, tuxedo-clad figure was created in 1938 by Bradbury Thompson (ba '34), who became an internationally acclaimed graphic artist. Design wasn't Thompson's only consideration. To the stylized Ichabod the artist attributed the qualities of "...courage and enthusiasm, as shown by his brisk walk. He is democratic and courteous, for he tips his hat as he passes. Sincere in his search for truth and knowledge, he studiously carries a book under his arm..."